Glory To God

We have looked at examples in the Word of God of people who demonstrated going ALL OUT.

Now we are going to look at how we, God’s chosen people in this timeframe of history, demonstrate going ALL OUT.

We usually look at it as meaning doing everything OUTSIDE the four walls of the church. According to these definitions, we know that includes going OUT—and so much more:

With full determination or enthusiasm; with maximum effort—used chiefly in the phrase go all out

Made with maximum effort; an all-out effort to win the contest; full-blown

Made or done with as much effort as possible

“ALL” refers to everything, and “OUT” is an intensifier, so ALL OUT means “everything and more”

As great as possible

Complete and with as much effort as possible

Not hold anything back, sparing nothing

Fully developed

“ALL” refers to everything, and “OUT” is an intensifier, so ALL OUT means “everything and more”

Using all one's resources; complete; total

Working to one's maximum effort or capacity in order to achieve something

Let us first understand that God is calling us to value the institution of the Church within the four walls. We recognize it is His design and He designed us to need one another. The Church functioning the way God intended it, certainly includes a very deep respect for a church body working together, with each one doing their part to accomplish what is on His heart for the maturing of the Bride.

We must also recognize that the Church has affected people for over 2,000 years.

However, we know there is room for improvement, and the Word gives us great hope for the Church to be what God intends.

We have experienced some wonderful things, and some have seen major victories, but there is always more the Lord is revealing and bringing forward for us.

Haggai 2:3 NKJV
Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?

Of course, this passage is from the Old Testament, but we know that God saw the Old Testament and New Testament as seamless. Everything that is in the Old Testament is pointing to the New Testament.

Now we know that Jesus spoke to His disciples for 40 days about the Kingdom before His return to Heaven. At that time, He gave them specific instructions to wait until they were filled with the Holy Ghost and power. You can read this all in the first chapter of the Book of Acts, but let’s look at this portion:

Acts 1:10-11 KJV
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward Heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven.”

They were looking as the Lord Himself was translated into Heaven covered with God’s glory. Then the Bible promises He will come in like manner.

Most of us just consider this will be when He returns for His Church. While that is true, there are many levels of revelation to every scripture.

Let us understand that when these angels told the disciples Jesus would come in like manner, it was not just for His return in the rapture, but the return in His glory. Through the manifestation of the Spirit that was about to happen, His disciples could experience this same glory living on the inside of them by the empowerment of the Holy Ghost. Isn’t that what happened?

But something very important happened first. They had to be ALL IN before they could go ALL OUT for God.

Acts 1:12-14 KJV
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

We often skip over this, thinking we know they were all together in a room praying, but it was much more than that.

One accord means “one mind.” Supplication means “beg as binding oneself to.” This was not a simple prayer. This was a group of people being ALL IN for one thing: TO BEG TO BE JOINED TO HIM EVEN MORE AND TO BECOME ONE WITH HIM, WITHOUT HIM PHYSICALLY BEING THERE.

Some left. They gave up on the waiting in prayer and supplication. It started out with many more, but those 120 were not going to stop until they had the experience of what Jesus said was going to be theirs.

They wanted the Holy Spirit’s fullness. They wanted His fire and His ability to empower them to walk as He walked.

Their ALL IN gave the Spirit access to COME ALL IN so that they could GO ALL OUT.

The Church, the Bride, needs to understand that there is something beyond asking Jesus to save you. Salvation is the starting place, and of course, it is the most important part for YOU. But when you ask Him for His heart, He fills you up with the knowledge of Him and with His heart for OTHERS.

Jesus summed it up this way:

Mark 12:30 NKJV
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.

In other words, love ALL IN with ALL you have. And then GO ALL OUT.

Mark 12:31 NKJV
And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

I think we are beginning to get enlightened to how He feels about US and about THEM. It only comes from how passionate we feel about HIM and about what HE wants to do for us and through us.

Let us take these words seriously as we move forward in 2019 by preparing our bodies through fasting, and preparing our souls in obedience, and preparing our spirit by insisting on coming into ONE ACCORD with each other and with HIM.

ALL OUT is to give it your ALL, to try really hard and give a situation 100% of your attention.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

We come in humility today asking for You to come upon us with fervency and fire to accomplish that which You desire on the earth. Please, Lord, take us out of being satisfied with what we already know about You, and let us HUNGER and THIRST for more of You. Help us to draw closer to You, to give You our ALL, not only as individuals, but as the corporate body. We are the Church, for which You died. Don’t allow us to go another day without Your presence of conviction. Give us that conviction that pricks our hearts with Your importance and shows us the direction we need to go to be ALL IN to go ALL OUT.

We are not just mouthing these words; we are begging as the disciples did—until You come. Change us however You need to so that we are able to change ourselves and bring change to those around us—until we are completely YOURS at ALL TIMES.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

I pray you will continue to cry out as you worship HIM with these worship songs. Don’t rush; linger. And when we are gathered together, may we do the same.

Here Again – Elevation Worship

Nothing Without You - Will Reagan

Spirit of the Living God – Vertical Worship

Where You Are – Leeland

DAILY APPLICATION:

What was your “ah-ha” moment?

How can you apply this in your relationship with God, and what changes will you have to make?

How can this help you with your family?

How can this help you with others in your daily life?

Think BIG: By applying these truths, how are you expecting this to impact your family, others I your everyday life, your city, and the world?